1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a card connector, and more particularly to a card connector to be used for electrically connecting the external terminals of a memory card incorporating a memory mechanism such as ICs, to the external contacts of a computer or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In this age, computers using memory cards and devices relevant thereto are apt to be made in a more comptact design. This provokes a demand for card connectors as thin as a few mm. Such a trend is also applied to a card connector on which a plurality of, for example two, memory cards may be overlappingly mounted.
There is known a card connector in which a plurality of memory cards are adapted to be used in an overlapping manner in the vicinity with one another. In such a card connector, to improve the maneuverability of card removal, it is required to dispose ejection mechanisms for removing the memory cards mounted on the connector.
In a conventional connector, there is no other way than that the ejection mechanisms are incorporated, as independent parts, in a device on which the connector is mounted.
There is also known a card connector having a body which houses, in a longitudinally movable manner, a slider having an engagement portion. When a memory card is inserted into the body, the slider is pushed to the retreat position with the front edge of the card engaged with the engagement portion. Thus, the card is held at the setting position. In such a card connector, there are individually disposed a lock mechanism for holding the card at the setting position and a mechanism for unloading the card from the body after the lock state has been released.
In such a connector having therein a space in which the ejection mechanism is to be housed, the thickness of the connector is accordingly increased. Therefore, the reduction in thickness of the connector is disadvantageously limited due to the presence of such a space. Further, the conventional connector presents the problem that both requirements of a sufficient mechanical strength and a thin structure are not met at the same time.
Further, for unloading the card held at the setting position, the conventional connector requires two different operations, i.e., an operation for releasing the card lock state and an operation for unloading the card. This presents a poor maneuverability.